Violent incidents in Wagga Base Hospital’s emergency department are both an almost-daily occurrence and a growing problem, staff say.
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Jeremy Fry, the hospital’s co-director of emergency medicine, said the issue was something staff had to constantly think about.
“It’s pretty much a daily occurrence. We’ve got a high number of mental health and drug and alcohol presentations, so it is something we constantly have to be aware of and prepared for,” Dr Fry said.
“We’ve got really well trained staff. We work well with security. We work well with the police force as well, when they bring in patients.
It’s just part of the job, we’ve just come to expect it and sadly, it’s a growing part of the job.
- Dr Jeremy Fry
“I guess a lot of it is about identifying which people are likely to pose a threat and sort of getting on top of it and dealing with it quickly.
“We are seeing it more frequently, and really people coming in with drug-induced psychosis are irrational and quite violent and we need to often – for these people’s own safety and the public’s safety –subdue them, and they can become quite violent and aggressive, and it is something we are seeing more frequently.
“A lot of it is about having a team-based approach, having everybody on board, discussing how we are going to manage the patient and approach it when they come in so that it's not so much of a surprise when they come in.
“There’s always going to be patients who suddenly escalate, and we have to deal with that. But a lot of it, we get forewarning from the ambulance and the police if they’re bringing in violent patients, so that we can have a team standing by with security.”
Dr Fry said the hospital’s “really good” security staff were stationed just outside the emergency department.
“We all wear personal duress alarms and we tell them if we’ve got someone coming in who is violent or has the potential for violence. They’re a huge help,” he said.
“At other hospitals, I’ve had staff get badly hurt, requiring surgery. Hit with chairs, things like that.
“It’s just part of the job, we’ve just come to expect it and sadly, it’s a growing part of the job.”
Director of Wagga Base Hospital Helen Cooper said $3.7 million had been spent on security at the hospital since 2015, while guards were rostered on both day and night.
“Murrumbidgee Local Health District does not tolerate violence towards staff or patients in hospitals, and the safety of staff, patients and visitors is a priority,” Ms Cooper said.
“Emergency department staff carry personal safety alarm systems which link to an immediate security response.
“Other protective measures include CCTV, appropriate lighting and signage and a trained ‘Code Black’ response team to provide assistance to any person under threat in the hospital.
“Police are called where their assistance is required. Staff are also trained in de-escalation techniques and evasive self-defence.”